My largest peony which is finally loaded with blooms is developing black spots on some of the leaves and buds . There are some small black ants that are visible on the plant . Are they eating or damaging the plant? This is the most buds I have ever had - I sure don't want to lose them !! Any help/suggestions appreciated!

The weather was down to 35 last night but I had them covered so I don't think the black spots are weather related . Came out to cover them for tonight bc it is supposed to frost again and that's when I saw the ants and spots .

Hi Gen, all of us get ants on our peonies. Those spots are not caused by the ants.

Do you clean up the dead foliage from the previous year as soon as you can? That will help keep fungal diseases at bay.

I have a couple of peonies with brown spots like that, and I'm attributing them to the weather.

Hopefully you won't get too many more frosts this Spring and the buds will open.

Thanks !! I was in panic mode - never had anywhere close to this many buds before on all my peonies combined ! I THINK this will be our last cold night .....then we may head straight into summer the way this year has been going! We had 90 degree temps a couple of days last week and lots and lots of rain! Had storms and almost 6" just this past weekend. Then it was 34 this morning! I do cut them back and clean up the foliage as soon as they start dying back. I know one person suggested cutting it back it back to a few inches at the first of November and I hope to remember that this fall. Because they were late dying back this past year

with @Mieko2


the black spots are caused by a fungus .... perhaps from all the rain we have had + hot weather (not that far away)

a copper based fungicide will clear it up .........reapply after each rain ...remove leaves with the black spot

but the ants may be there for another reason ..... aphids .... the ants collect the honeydew that the aphids secrete ....
this honeydew is sticky ....and sometimes the honeydew will turn blackish

look your plant over ....especially under leaves near the stems ....aphids are tiny - little larger than the size of a pin head ...oval in shape ....and usually bright yellow but can be: black, brown, green or red

Control the aphids and you control the ants ..... use any insecticidal soap (containing fatty acids) will work killing off aphids

Hi James,
Are you growing peonies down in zone 8b? @lizbest is going to move down to Alabama in zone 8 , and I'm sure she would love to know how your peonies are doing. She has herbaceous, woody, and Itohs.

Hi @Mieko2

Not growing peonies this year .... my previous plantings have not done that well .... too hot and not enough cold is the reason why ...

Thanks James. Maybe you should try some Itohs. Bartzella is being sold in quite a few big box stores nowadays.

@Mieko2

will look into Itohs & perhaps Bartzella ....

have the space with the right sunlight ..... its those 100° days during July & through August ...plus relatively mild winters (haven't seen snow for at least 10 years....last ice storm even longer)

Gen, ants on garden peonies are a good sign. If ants stop coming that means that something is wrong with the buds; this usually means flower bud-abortion. I am happy when I see ants on my peonies. They take care of aphids and don't damage the flowers. I am looking forward to seeing your the pics of your peony in full bloom.

Thanks for all the information. I do have some buds on some peonies that just "died" but other buds on the same plant are blooming. Most of the ones that turn black are still very small when they do so....................is this possibly from aphids? Or more likely weather? I tried to cover mine during the extreme cold snap we had in April to protect them.

Deep south - what part of Louisiana you in? I am in Southern Arkansas about 2 hrs north of the La line. My peonies would do better I am sure if they didn't have to fight those same insane heat conditions........and our last two winters have been ridiciously warm! We had our coldest days in November and then April......

I recently purchased my first Itoh - Bartzilla, I love it! It and Kansas were purchased recently loaded with buds and went up under my porch because they were calling for hail storms! I still need to locate a new home for each. I try to place most of mine were they will get some shelter from the hot afternoon sun..............but it is hard to find balance between enough sun for blooms without scorching come hot summertime! Below are a few of my blooms.........

I'm glad to read this thread, I saw an ant near my Sorbet Peony, that means this bud will not be aborted like the previous 2-3 buds.